OBJECTIVE To observe the clinical efficacy of Yijinjing in the treatment of elderly sarcopenia and its effect on chronic inflammatory response in patients, and to explore the Yijinjing exercise prescription suitable for elderly patients with sarcopenia.

METHODS A total of 120 elderly patients with sarcopenia admitted to the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Suzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from September 2022 to September 2024 were selected and randomly divided into a control group and a Yijinjing group, with 60 cases in each group. The control group received health education and dietary guidance, and the Yijinjing group received Yijinjing exercises on the basis of the intervention of the control group. The changes in skeletal muscle mass, upper and lower limb muscle strength, muscle thickness, muscle cross-sectional area, physical fitness and chronic inflammation level were observed in the two groups before and after the intervention.

RESULTS After intervention, the skeletal muscle mass, grip strength, 30 s sit-stand test times, rectus femoris thickness and cross-sectional area, vastus intermedius thickness, and physical fitness assessment of the patients in the Yijinjing group were significantly increased compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05), and the indicators after intervention were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the serum TNF-α and IL-18 levels in the Yijinjing group were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05), and the indicators after intervention were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05); there was no statistically significant change in the biceps brachii thickness and serum IL-6 level in the Yijinjing group compared with those before treatment (P>0.05); there was no significant correlation between the biceps brachii thickness and grip strength after Yijinjing intervention, r=0.139 8, P>0.05; there was a significant negative correlation between the TNF-α level and grip strength after Yijinjing intervention, r=-0. 313 8, P < 0.05.

CONCLUSION Yijinjing exercises can improve muscle mass and strength in elderly patients with sarcopenia, and improve the physical fitness of patients, which may be related to improving the chronic inflammatory state of the body.